UWC Scholar Publishing Support (University of the Western Cape)
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Dust in the wind: Renewable energy and the limits of South Africa’s developmental state
Get PDFSouth Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is widely celebrated for attracting private investment into renewable energy while embedding socio-economic development goals. Positioned as a flagship initiative of the country’s green developmental state, the programme promises inclusive growth through job creation, skills development, and community ownership. Yet this article critically examines the disjuncture between the programme’s technocratic design and its uneven implementation in remote host towns. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and a 2024 household survey in Sutherland, Northern Cape, it explores how the REIPPPP’s scorecard-driven framework struggles to engage with the layered social, institutional, and labour dynamics of marginalised rural towns in the Karoo. Despite substantial financial commitments to local development, implementation is undermined by skills shortages, substance abuse, fragmented governance, and limited community agency.
These challenges expose the limits of South Africa’s developmental state, where technocratic procurement frameworks and rigid compliance metrics falter amid structural inequality and weak local capacity. By centring the construction phase and local experiences, the article argues that without more grounded, participatory, and justice oriented approaches, the REIPPPP risks reproducing the very exclusions it seeks to redress. The findings call for a reimagined energy transition, one that moves beyond metrics to engage meaningfully with the social realities shaping project outcomes in South Africa’s arid regions
Trust in African feminist teaching and learning practices: Conscientisation and connection
Get PDFIn higher education, trust is possible (or not) based on the dynamic between different components and people in the university. This paper considers the relationship between students and their lecturer in the context of a neoliberal ethos. Using an African feminist lens, the close-up, self-study of a postgraduate course in Political and International Studies at Rhodes University is examined for its intentions and transgressions to determine how trust can be built and ruptured. Two ideas – ‘conscientisation’ and ‘connection’ – are theorised and then demonstrated through the reflections of the students and lecturer. Through a variety of mechanisms and processes, conscientisation and connection were intentionally built into how the course was run, and students’ reflections reveal their transformational capacity. The final assessment did, however, become a site of unraveling and contestation, and provided an opportunity to look more deeply into how robust these ideas can be in a setting that valorises individualism and competition
Beyond empty signifiers: Reclaiming social justice as an academic pursuit in higher education
Get PDFThis paper critically examines the proliferation of terms such as “social justice” within higher education discourse, arguing that they often function as “empty signifiers”, concepts stripped of their theoretical depth and transformative potential. The paper uses a narrative approach to explore how these buzzwords can obscure, rather than illuminate, the path to genuine educational transformation. The analysis is grounded in a tripartite theoretical framework, combining Ernesto Laclau’s theory of empty signifiers, Nancy Fraser’s model of social justice, and the capabilities approach advanced by Amartya Sen. I invoke Joan Tronto\u27s political ethic of care as essential to operationalising transformation, as a democratic practice involving attentiveness, responsibility, competence, and responsiveness. I argue that a more robust and transformative decolonial praxis requires moving beyond superficial signifiers to a deeper engagement with epistemic justice informed by Southern epistemologies. The paper concludes that genuine transformation requires addressing the intersecting dimensions of maldistribution, misrecognition, and misrepresentation while centering the capabilities approach and an ethic of care in pedagogical practice
Can stronger laws and regulations safeguard children’s rights by preventing child marriages?
Get PDFChild marriage refers to the union of two individuals, one or both of whom are under the age of 18. The minimum age for boys which is 14, and for girls, 12, is inconsistent with the right to equality. Despite the South African Constitution’s emphasis on cultural rights, child marriage infringes on the basic rights of minors, which include the right to education, health, equality, privacy, freedom, and security. Child marriages often result in forced cohabitation, early pregnancy, and increased risk of rape. The prohibition of child marriages is crucial to safeguarding the well-being and dignity of children. Efforts to abolish child marriages must address cultural sensitivities while prioritising the rights and protection of minors. This article examines the effectiveness of current laws in safeguarding children’s rights and argues for the abolition of child marriage. The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act and the Marriages Act allow for child marriages with parental or ministerial consent, perpetuating this harmfulpractice. Through analysis of case law, the article highlights the devastating consequences ofchild marriage, including sexual assault and deprivation of education. The article recommendsstrengthening existing laws, setting a suitable minimum age for marriage, and conducting awareness campaigns to educate communities about the harmfulness of child marriage. Ultimately, this article asserts that the abolition of child marriages is crucial for upholding the principles, spirit and purport of the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution. By prioritising children’s rights and well-being, South Africa can work towards eradicating this harmful practice and ensuring a brighter future for its children
Ahmad and the fishing net: a story from Gaza
Get PDFLee-Ann Williams - Arts and Humanities, English Literature Department. Lee-Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honours degree in English Literature from the University of the Western Cape (UWC)
Constraints and Prospects of Faith-Based Refugee Protection in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya
Get PDFThis article investigates three distinct elements of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in refugee protection: their challenges, the appropriate solutions, and the opportunities available for FBOs to leverage. Knowledge about the three elements is critical in helping FBOs function effectively and efficiently. Unlike the relevant existing literature, the article focuses on issues that relate specifically to FBOs, not those that extend to almost all refugee-protection actors. The focus is on FBOs because they are usually the first responders to conflict-related crises, maintain their presence throughout all stages of a conflict, and are identified by the Global Compact on Refugees as key players in protecting refugees. The research collected data from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya using focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews, and general observations of the refugee environment. It analyzed the data using qualitative content analysis. The results indicate that specific challenges exist for FBOs in refugee protection. Nevertheless, these challenges are not beyond resolution; they merely necessitate a shift in strategy or perspective. Despite the various challenges outlined, the contributions made by FBOs remain substantial and are valued highly by refugees, host communities, and other humanitarian entities. Furthermore, there is considerable potential for enhancing the operational effectiveness of FBOs